Film cleaning and polishing machine



0.3. CARLETON, FIL MCLEA NING AND POLISHING MACHINE.

Patented -an. 31,1922.

\ '3 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

APPLICATION FILED OCT-I3, I919. 1,405,277.

11v VENTOR A TTORNY C. R. CARLETO N. I FILM CLEANING AND POLISHINGMACHINE.

- APPLICATION FILED OCT-13,1919- 105,277, Pa ented. Jan. 31, 1922.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

M Y I I 1w 0k W a Y B M E m C. R. CARLETON.

FILM CLEANING AND POLISHING MACHINE.

1,405,277 APPLICATION FILED OCT-13, I919. Jan. 31,

-3 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

,MQM

1N VENTOR WITNESS S.-

A TTORNEY TES CHARLES RUDOLPH centur on, or BRooKLi'N, NEW YORK.

I FILM CLEANING Ann PonIsH NG MACnIfiE.

To all whom it may concern: 1

Be it known that 1, CHARLES R. CARLETON,

a citizen of theUnited States, and a resident of the city of New York,borough of Brooklyn, in the county of Kings and State I of New York,have invented a new and Improved Film Cleaning and Polishing Machine, ofwhichthe following is a, full, clear, and exact description.

This'invention relates to a machine for I treating continuousstrips ofmaterial and has reference more particularly to amachine for polishingor cleaning continuous strips of motion picture films.

The primary object of the invention is to produce a machine of thecharacter described which may be used for polishing newly made films orfor cleaning old or" used films and particularly the emulsion side ofthe films without injury to the sensitized surface. 1

Further objects will appear upon referjence to the accompanying drawingsin which Figure 1 is a front elevation of the machine. Y 1 n Fig. 2 is arear elevation. Fig. 3 is a top plan view.

Fig; 4 is a cross section through the axis of the main drive. Fig. 5 isaside view of one of the buffers.

Fig. 6 is a sectional view of one of the moistening rollers, the fluidsupply thereto being shown in elevation. r Fig. 7 is a sectional viewthrough the-axis of one of the feed sprockets. I

Fig. 8 isa cross section through the takeup magazine; and

Fig. 9 is a like magazine.

Referring to the drawings in detall 1 represents a suitable table orsupporting frame on'which maybe mounted a driving motor (not shown) or.themotor may be otherwise mounted. Supported upon the table 1 is themachine frame 2 which is constructed with the usual standards, etc., tobe later referred j to. Inasmuch as the work to be performed by themachine involvesthe treatment of a so-ca'lledcontinuous strip of filmthemachine is equipped with a pair of. magazines 3 and L from which thefilm issupplied to and recovered ztrom the treating a'pparatus,, thusthemagazine 3 becomes the supply and magazine ft the take-up. Bothmagazines are'suspended by means of the downwardly Specification of.Letters Patent.

view through the supply presented hangers 3 and 4 having'journal ed at A-and is adapted to be-deliveredl Patented} Jan. 31*, ,-1"'922.;. ,1Applicationfiled October 13, 1919. Serial no. 330,177;

througha radial slot .in the rim of the 'supply magazine 3, which slotis providedwith' a pair of opposed rollers 3. From the supply magazinethe film is delivered over the first feed sprocket then over 'the'moifstening rollers 6 which are rotatably mounted in'the same plane onthehorizfontal arm 7.

Tension rollers 8 and 8 being mounted also in the horizontal arm 7intermediate the" moistening rollers 6 and on the opposite side ofthelast moistening rollerto insure contact of thefilm' with the wicks ofthe rollers which supply the necessary cleaning fluid to the undersideof the film. When the film has b'een'thus subjected tojthe cleaningfiuid" rality of buffers 9, 9? and 9", all three of which are rotatablymounted'in the same plane with idler wheels 10, 10 and 10 supportedwith-freedom of rotation above the buffers so that the filmwill bemaintained not only in contactwith the buffers but also feed past thebuffers withoutradial' displacement. This is accomplished by the flangeon the rim sides.

feed sprocket 5 which is of a larger diameter than the sprocketjaandcomprises the first of two such devices which feed .thefilm throughthe-machine. Mounted on opposite it passes over another tension rolleras at-8 1 I then through the bufling process which'is accomplishedpreferably'by'means of a plusides of'thesprocket 5 are a'pairolf'tension rollers 8 and 8 under whichthe film'extends, thusmaintaining it taut over the sprocket; To further insure an uninterrupt-'ed pull on the film by the sprocket a movable and third tension roller8? is employed V to maintain the film feed true relative to thesprocket. Between the last two idler wheelslO and 10 is arranged anotherten- 'sion roller 8 over which the film passes.

This last named tension roller together with the feed sprocket 5positioned on the'otherside of the wheel-serves to maintain the film iin proper buffingrelation relative to the last buffer 9 Inasmuch asfsomemeasuringl de-' vice such-as the eyclomet'er 11' isdesi'rable to 15 thelatter being indicate the feet of film treated the spindle for the feedsprocket 5 offers a convenient means for driving the same. From thefeedsprocket 5 the film extends over still another teed sprocket 5 which isdriven as is the sprocket 5. This sprocket 5 1s also associatedwith'a'pair of tension rollers 8 mounted with freedom of rotation theyarerotated only by the travelot' the film over .them. Fromthe fee'dsprocket.5 the film is delivered to a reel supported in the receiv-'mgmagazme 4, thefilm entermg the magazine through a radial slot inthemagazine rim which is provided with pair of opposed rollers d betweenwhich the film is fed. B th magazines 3 and 4 are equipped with hingedcovers.

WViththe general arrangement and co-operative relationship of the partsthus des scribed the driving means willnow be e);-

plainedr This part of the invention represents one of the principalfeatures of the machine in that it provides a practical methodfoffeeding with film through the machine. The drive may be transmittedthrough the belt 12 to a master driving wheelj13- fixed to thehorizontal Sllitfhli which: is journaled in the bearings 15 and'preterably aball hear: ing. v The opposite end of the shaft leprovidesa mounting spin-dle tor the buffer 9 and on which this buffer is fixedlymounted. Fixed to the shaft 14 approximately inthe middleuthereof is aworm gear 16 which is in meslrwith a driven gear 16? mounted in hemiddle of the shaft 16 which shait't extends diagonally of the machinewith its opposite ends provided with beveledgears 1? and 17 which are inmesh with'like gears 17 c and 17 fixed to the ends of the spindles 18and 18 of the feed sproclzets 5 and 5 respectively. The ends of theshaft 16" are suitably journaled as at 16 and 16?. In this constructionthe drive transmitted to the wheel 13 and the worm 16 may be employed torotate the feed sprockets 5" and 5". Mounted eoaxially on the shaft 1are a pair of drive wheels 19, and 19 the. former adapted to impartrotation to the buffer 9 through thejbelt 19 connecting the driven wheel19 whichin turn is mounted on the butter spindle. The driving wheel 19by means of the belt 19 connecting the same in driving relation to thedriven wheel 19 mounted on the spindle of the butler 9 is adapted toimpartthe necessary rotation to the said butter. Also mounted on thespindle ofthe buffer 9 coaXially with the wheel19 is a driving wheel 20for imparting the-necessary rotation to the reelsupported in thereceiving magazine 4, this being accomplished by means of a wheel 20*onthe spindleot the magazine and the belt 20" connecting the wheel 20 indriving relation with the wheel 20; in order to impart rotation to themoistening rollers 6 the spindles of the rollers-are provided withdriven wheels 21 and 21 connected in driving relation by means of a belt21", a master drive wheel 21 mounted coaXially on the spindle with thewheel21 andin drivingrolation with the small wheel 20 on the spindle ofthe buli er 9, thus rotation of the buffer will impart thenecessaryrotation to the moistenlng rollers.

7 From the above description iswill be readily seen the film naybesupplied, from the reel rotatably mounted in themagazine 3 and; fedover the moisteningf rollers 6 where is will be supplied with necessarycleaning fluid and then fed in contact with a plurality of buffers andthence after being measured by the cyclometer 11 backtoa second reelwhich is so driven to wind thefilm thereupon. V

The detail construction of the parts forming the principal features 01the invention. will now be described. the moistening rollers attentionis particu larly invited to Fig 6 which illustrates one of theinoistening rollers in detail, Each of With reference U to the rollerscomprisesa hollow drum having a perforated rim with a layer ofabsorbent,

material overlying the perforations inthe rim. Cleaning fluid is fedfrom a sight teed chamber 6" through atube 6? which terminates withinthe hollow drum v whereupon the fluid may be deposited in the drum andabsorbed by the layer of absorbent material over which the film is fed.A cup shaped device 6 of the rollers 6 to catch any excessive amount ofthe fluid which may be supplied to the drum. The drums are removablysecure'd to their respectivespindles by. means of the threaded heads '6'With reference to the detailed construetion of the feed sprocketsattention is called particularly to Fig. 7 wherein it will be seen thateach of the sprockets boththose that is supported v beneath each drivethe film and those that are driven by the film comprise a substantiallysolid spool having an axial opening 5 to receive the sp ndie on whichthey are mounted. The.

sprockets 5 thereof which are mounted on opposite edges of the spool arereplaceable in order that a new sprocket maybe replaced fer a. worn onewlthout discarding the entirespool. To accomplishthis each sideolf thespool is. adapted to receive. a'

sprocket which is nothing morethan anan- I nular ring withperipheralteethiwith opena ings in the side thereof; adaptedto registerwith openings in the side of the spool in.

order that suitable set screws 55 may co-:

operate with annular rings 5 to confine the sprockets on-the spool.

Referring now to the detail construction of the buffers, seeparticularlyFig. '5, in which each of the buffers are'illustrated as comprising ahub 9 having a series of radial slots in the rim thereof, each slotbeing adapted to receive the folded end of a felt strip 9 ,the oppositeends of the strip being positioned to contact with the surface of thefilm' and act upon the same to clean and polish it. To confine thefolded end'of the strips in the slots pins are-used to longitudinallyengage the slots and wedge the foldcompletely close the hub but to leavethe ends of the strips exposed. The buffers may be introduced upon theirspindles and moved therefrom by the threaded heads 9 The idler wheels10, l0? and 10 may be also removed from their respective spindles bythreaded heads 10.

, The journal bearings are specially conf structed in that they are'selflubricating to which-end special wooden sleeves are used throughoutwhich will do away with the ne-v cessity of oiling the bearings.

Inasmuch as the film is .fed from a reel supported within the deliverymagazine 3 it will not be necessary to connect any driving means to thespindle thereof in order to obtain an even feed of the film. Africtional device is associated with the spindle (see Fig. 9) whichcomprises apair of disks coaxially disposed on the spindle with a coilspring confined between an adjustable threaded head adapted to maintainthe disks in frictional contact, the head being as stated adjustable toincrease or decrease the friction. "The same arrangement isprovidedf onthe sp ndle of the receivlng magazine. -H0wever, 1n this lnstance a drve s imparted to the spindle which will necessitate enlarging thediameter of the friction disk.

and also increasingthe'tension of the spring.

'1. In a film cleaning. andpolishing machine, a frame, a cleaning. andpollshi'ng I claim:

means mounted in the frame and including 1 a plurality of buffer wheelsand idlers above said wheels, a sprocket wheel'between two of the bufferwheels, asprocket wheel at the rear of the frame, a driven shaft onwhich];

one of the buffer wheels is mounted, said shaft having a worm thereon,an inclined. shaft having a worm wheel meshing with the; worm of thedriven shaft, gearings between the ends of the inclined shaft and theshafts of the sprocket wheels, and means for operating the other bufferwheels from if said driven shaft. 2. Ina film cleaning and polishing'machine, a frame, a plurality'of bufler wheels mounted in the-frame, anidler ab'ovee'ach of the buffer wheels, a driven shaft on which buffervwheel, "a sprocket wheel between two one of said buffer wheels'ismounted, a j

sprocket wheel atlthe rear of the frame, a

shaft cared intermediate of its ends with the driven shaft, and at itsends-with the said sprocket wheels, and means for operating the shaft.

.-3. In a. film cleaning and. polishing Inaso 1 '7 other buffer wheelsfrom the driven 7 chine, a frame, a plurality of buffer wheels:-

mounted in'the frame, an idler above each buffer wheel, azsprocket wheelbetween two of the buflfer Wheels, a sprocket wheel' at the rear of theframe, a driven shaft upon which one of the buffer wheels is mounted,means for operating the other buffer wheels from the driven shaft, agearing-between the driven shaft and the said sprocket whe l y-iz filmspools,and means for operating oneof the spools directly from one of thebuffer wheels.

CHARL S,RunoLrucARimo i. 4

